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Monday, December 14, 2009

Soy-Free Tamari Roasted Nuts

For those of you following a soy-free diet, and who are desperately missing your tamari, I have found a fantastic alternative! The South River Miso Company makes a wonderful gluten/wheat-free and soy-free tamari! How do they do it?Here is what they say on their website:In Japanese, tamari means "little puddle" and refers to the savory liquid that collects in a vat of miso. Our genuine tamari is similar to its cousin, soy sauce, but much sweeter and lighter in taste. Friends who buy directly from our shop come back year after year, declaring that there is no seasoning comparable to South River Miso Tamari. Gathered from the vats ofAZUKI BEAN MISO -- Made from deep well water, organic brown rice, organic azuki beans, sun-dried sea salt, organic sea vegetables, and koji culture. Aged in wood for a minimum of 3 months.I was so happy to recently find this soy-free tamari alternative on Kim's Affairs of Living Blog! Kim writes a great blog full of recipes and ideas for Elimination Diet-friendly meals. If you are doing the Elimination Diet from our cookbook, then her site will be a big help.If you have a chance to try South River's chickpea miso or adzuki miso please do! They are simply delicious. The miso is made using rice koji instead of barley koji. If you live in Bellingham you can find this fabulous miso at Terra Organica. They don't sell the tamari though...at least not yet!

Smokey Soy-Free Tamari Roasted Nuts

If you don't have any issues with soy you could of course use regular wheat-free tamari in place of the adzuki bean tamari. I've added a little smoked Spanish paprika to these which gives the nuts more flavor with a hint of smoke. This is totally optional. You could omit the paprika or add crushed dried rosemary for a savory flavor or try chipotle chili powder for a kick! Make sure you follow the directions and roast the nuts first, then add the tamari, and roast again for a few minutes. You'll have a burned mess if you roast them all at once, trust me, I know! These nuts make a fabulous appetizer for a holiday gathering or a great afterschool snack for your kids. Enjoy!1 cup raw cashews

1 cup raw almonds

2 to 3 tablespoons tamari

1 to 2 teaspoons smoked paprikaPreheat oven to 350 degrees. Place nuts into a 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish.Roast in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes (watch timing as oven temps vary). Remove pan from oven and quickly add the tamari and smoked paprika. Toss together with a spatula.Return pan to oven and roast for about 3 minutes more.The nuts become crispy when cooled. Store in an airtight jar.Source: www.NourishingMeals.com.

*Notes: You may need to alter the amount of tamari here if you use the regular wheat-free tamari. Start with less as I am not sure how the salt content differs.

About the Author

Alissa Segersten holds a Bachelor's of Science in Nutrition from Bastyr University. She is the founder of Whole Life Nutrition, the mother of five children, a whole foods cooking instructor, professional recipe developer, and cookbook author. She is passionate about helping others find a diet that will truly nourish them, and offers elimination diet recipes, healthy gluten-free recipes, paleo and vegan recipes, as well as tips for feeding your family a nourishing, whole foods diet. Alissa is the author of two very popular gluten-free, whole foods cookbooks and guidebooks: The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook and Nourishing Meals. She is also the co-author of The Elimination Diet book. Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram!

Ali-these look delicious and great for a snack or party. Do you have any recipes for "pralined" pecans or almonds? I'd love to make both for holiday snacking! Thanks for the continued recipes throughout the busy holiday season!

Wow, thanks for the call out, Ali! These look wonderful, by the way. I just got home from New York and plan to try out a few more recipes from your book. I tried the Peachy Millet Muffins with pear puree instead of peach and a couple other tweaks and they were amazing...just ate the last two last night : ) Thanks again for the mention in your post, and have a great week! -Kim

I want some! Might be just the thing to make for a party we're attending this weekend. It's very neat that there are some alternatives to soy with the same taste. Thanks for sharing this one, Ali! Special thanks on the warning to keep us from having a burned mess!

coconut secret has coconut aminos that its supposed to be like soy sauce. It may be a little sweeter and less salty but it seems like it might be a good substitute. I haven't tried it yet but I am wanting to get some soon.

For Dot,Have you tried this? Heat one cup of almonds (with skins) in a skillet until you begin to smell them. Stir in 1/4 cup maple syrup and continue to stir until it crystallizes.Cool and store tightly covered. I did this with almonds and pecans for on top of pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. we didn't miss the whipped cream at all. -Janice

I wish I could indulge in that soy-free soy sauce. I'm always amazed when people who are allergic to soy go ahead and eat other legumes freely. They are in the same family. If a person is allergic to soy isn't likely they will react to other legumes? Perhaps not. I came up positive to soy, peanuts (a legume), navy beans and a few more. I can't risk a swollen/constricted esophagus. It's a real bummer for me. I dig tofu and soy products. I guess I'll look for coconut aminos that "M" mentioned.

I just wanted to add that I found the Coconut Amino Acids and they are very tasty. They smell more alcoholish than regular soy sauce, but they aren't as salty, and they don't have an alcohol taste. They are made by Coconut Secrets. And I did find them at Whole Foods. http://www.coconutsecret.com On their website you can find a list of stores that carry their products (however, not all stores carry all products) And a list of places to get it on line.

Welcome to my blog!

Hi! My name is Alissa Segersten and I've had a love of healthy food and cooking since the age of 10. When I was pregnant with my first daughter in 2001, I diligently began writing down my recipes because so many people would ask for them! Some of these recipes appeared in my first book, The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook. I now have 5 children and am passionate about educating them about our food system so they can make the most informed choices as they grow up and are exposed to a world of processed, chemical-laden foods. Join me in my mission of helping to support families with nourishing meals!